Transfer mechanism



1941- w. F. KNEBUSCH ET Al. 2,261,883

TRANSFER MECHANISM Filed May 5, 1936 INVENTORS WALTER F. KNEBUSCH FOSTER E HILLIX A TTORNE Y Patented Nov. 4, 19 41 Walter F. Knebusch,

Hillix, Rayon ration of Delaware 2,261,883 NT OFFICE]-..

Cleveland, and Foster F.

Lakewood, Ohio, assignors to Industrial- Corporation, Cleveland, Ohio, a oorpo Application May 5, 1936, Serial No. 78,000

12 Claims.

This invention relates to a transfer mechanism for removing a thread from a rotating surface on which it is being wound. More particularly, the invention relates to a transfer wheel adapted to contact with a' rotating surface on which a wet thread is being wound to sever such thread and to transfer the thread end so formed to another surface which may also be rotating. The invention provides, among other things, a member having elements or groups of elements spaced around its periphery adapted to sever a thread which is Winding on a rotating cylindrical surface. The device is particularly useful in connection with reels which operateto advance a thread in helical turns along its length, the transfer, device acting to sever the thread and remove the free end so formed, so that the thread can be transferred to another similar reel where the winding operation is repeated.

The invention is especially useful in connection with the continuous spinning of artificial silk, in Which all of the treatments necessary to process an artificial silk thread coming from a spin bath are performed on the thread in succession on a number of reels arranged in regular order. Thus in the viscose process of making artificial silk, the thread may be Washed, desulphurlzed, bleached, etc., each operation being performed while the thread is passing over a separate reel. The method is continuous in that the thread automatically winds in approximately helical form along a given reel, runs from this reel onto thenext reel, travels along the second reel in the same manner, and so on until the finished thread is taken up on a packaging device. Such a machine is described at some length in copending application Ser. No. 679,606, filed July 10, 1933, now Patent No. 2,067,881, and the present mechanism may be used therewith or wherever it is desired to transfer a traveling threadv from one surface to another without interrupting the rurming of the thread.

While the transfer mechanism can be used in connection with various forms of reels for winding thread, itsoperation will be described in connection with the form of reel set forth in British Patent No. 413,414 wherein is disclosed a reel consisting of two cage members made up of laterally extending intermeshing bars, the cage members being mounted for rotation about axes both offset and inclined with respect to each other. As the bars of the'respective cage members move in and out due to this offset relation of their axes, the turns of thread are alternately picked up and dropped by each set of bars, the turns, due to the inclined relation of the axes, being dropped onto the bars slightly forward of the position which they last occupied- This results in travel. of the thread along the reel until it has come to the end thereof and is ready to be transferred to another similar reel.

Automatic means to effect thistransfer from reel to reel is desirable in order that each thread end may be caused to wind over the several reels provided for the application of the solutions required for the various treatments to which the thread is subjected. Such a transfer can to advantage be employed when the machine is first set in operation, which is done by applying the thread from a spin bath to the first reel, causing it to wind over the first reel, transferring it to the second reel, completing the travel on this reel, and again transferring it, until the finished thread is run off onto the final packaging device. Breakage of a thread during operation of the machine also necessitates transfer. Manual transfer is possible and is sometimes employed, but automatic transfer is preferred, especially since the number of transfers is very large Where thread is being spun in commercial amounts.

Removal of the thread from the reel is made difiicult by the fact that the thread is Wet by the various bathsto which it is subjected and tends to cling to the bars of the reel. Also, the liquid is showered onto the reels and tends to wash following turns of thread over the leading end. Where the true leading end is thus bound under following turns, it is desirable to employ a transfer mechanism which is capable of creating a new free leading end by severance of the thread back of the true end. The thread-engaging elements which are presented to the reel must necessarily bear thereagainst with sufficient rigidity to cut the thread when contact is made therewith but at the same time this rigidity must be neither so great that the transfer mechanisms will become worn out quickly and require replacement nor so great that a groove will be worn in'the winding reel resulting in abrasion and breaking of the still soft, wet thread during operation of the machine. For this reason, a mechanism is required which is on the Whole moderately flexible,so that it yields somewhat upon contact with the reel but yet maybe urged against the thread with sufiicient firmness to sever such thread.

It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide means for automatically forming a new leading end on a thread-like article being wound on a rotating surface and removing such leading end from the surface, Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for automatically transferring a helically winding thread from one rotating surface to another. A further object of the invention is to provide a transfer mechanism having on a whole a moderate flexibility, either inherent in or capable of being imparted to the thread-engaging elements or groups of elements for severing and transferring a ,IWinding thread. Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear more in detail hereinafter.

The invention is adapted for use in connection with any process of making artificial filaments,

as, for example, artificial silk thread, such as the cuprammonium, cellulose acetate, cellulose nitrate and viscose processes but it is especially valuable in connection with the viscose process and will be more particularly described in relation thereto, although no limitation is thereby implied. In fact, the apparatus will be found useful wherever it is necessary to transfer a thread from a rotating surface to another surface, particularly if the thread to be transferred is wet and tends to cling to the surface from which it is to be removed.

In the drawing, which illustrates two related embodiments of the invention, Figure 1 is a side elevation with parts broken away, of one of said embodiments. Figure 2 is a vertical section on line 22 of Figure 1, a part being shown in elevation. Figure 3 is a side elevation corresponding generally to Figure 1 with certain of the elements thereof removed and a portion of one of the remaining elements broken away. Figure 4 is an elevation of the inner face of the member I6 of Figures 1 and 2. Figure 5 is a Annular member I I is preferably disposed between an outer disk-lik member I6 and a similar inner disk-like member I'I carried upon the projecting end of a shaft I8. Disposed between these disk-like members I6 and I1 is a washer I9 which serves to separate the disk-like members a sufiicient distance to allow free movement of annular member I4. Between the disklike member I! and a shoulder 20 of the shaft side elevation of the second embodiment of the i 1 invention. Figure .6 is a sectional elevation on line 5-6 of Figure 5. Figure 7 is a fragmentary elevation of a transfer mechanism in accordance with the invention mounted in operative relation to a thread processing reel.

Referring first to Figure '7 of the drawing, reel I consists of a cage member 2, carrying longitudinally extending bars 3, anda cage member 4, carrying interdigitating bars 5, the two setsof bars moving in and out radially with respect to each other due to a lateral offsetting of their respective axes of rotation. As the turns of thread reach the end of the reel, they encounter transfer wheel 6, illustrated as of the type shown in Figures 1 and 2, mounted on bracketI. This bracket is mounted in the reel housing 8 by means of a rubber gasket 9 and may be adjustable in relation to the reel. A belt II drives the transfer wheel from a suitable source of power (not shown). The transfer wheel '6 is rotated in the same angular direction as the reel I in order that the thread-engaging elements I2 may move in the opposite direction to the bars 3 and 5 at the point of contact to effect detachment of the severed end from the reel. The thread end then drops through the opening I 3-in the reel housing 8 to contact with the surface of another reel therebelow or otherwise disposed in proximity to reel I.

As shown in Figure 1,. the thread-transfer mechanism of the present invention, consists of a transfer wheel having threadengaging elements I2 formed upon the periphery of an annular member I4 by means of spaced notches extending transversely of the same. If desired, the outer portion of the annular member I4 may be somewhat enlarged, as shown in Figure 2, for strengthening purposes and for the purpose of providing wider thread-engagingsurfaces upon the elements I2. Extending radially from the inner to the outer peripheral faces of the annular member I4 are ducts I5 for the passage of air. Preferably, annular member I 4 is molded 'of hard rubber, a resinous compound such as a phenol-aldehyde condensation product, or the like.

constructed I8 is located a washer 2I which serves to space the disk-like member II from the bracket 1. To urge disk-like members I5 and I! and washers I9 and 2I toward the shoulder 20 and thereby clamp them in place, a nut 22 is screw-threadedupon the end of the shaftIB. If desired, these disk-like members I6 and Il may be made of the same material as annular member I4.

Positioned between disk-like members It and I1 and extending from washer I9 to the inner peripheral face of the annular member. I4 is a stelliform body 23 of resilient material. Transverse notches are formed in the outer periphery thereof in order to provide spaced projections 24 which bear against annular member I I. It has been found'that ordinary vulcanized rubber, because of its elastic qualities, is suitable for .the material of stelliform body 23. The function of such body is to maintain annular member I4 in concentric relation to the axis of shaft I8, to which end movement of annular member I4 in a direction transverse to its axis of rotation is yieldably resisted by stelliform body 23.

The provision of means for delivering 2. current .of air adjacent the thread-contacting elements constitutes a feature of the invention. To this end, the inner face of disk-like member I6 is formed with an annular channel 25 from which lead radially extending grooves 26. Openings 21 extending from the inner to the outer face of disk-like member I5 communicate with annular channel 25. Disk-like member I1 is similarly formed with an annular channel 28, radial grooves 29, and openings 39. In operation, openings 21 and supply air to the channels 25 and 28, from which it is distributed to grooves 26 and 29, and by them to the spaces betweenthev projections 24 of stelliform body 23. Since ducts I5 in annular member I4 open into these spaces, air from these spaces passes directly through ducts I5 to thread-engaging elements I2. Air passing through grooves 26 and 29 is caused to escape adjacent the thread-engaging elements I2. The current of air so developed tends to blow the thread away from the transfer wheel, facilitating the transfer of the thread.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figures '5 and 6, a plurality of circumferentially disposed thread-engaging elements 3|, spaced from each other by transversely extending notches, are formed integrally with a generally annular body 32 carried directly by shaft I8. To prevent rotation of generally annular body 32 upon shaft I8, it is clamped by .nut 33 between washers 34 and 35, the latter of which abuts shoulder 20. The thread-engaging elements 3| may be few or many in number, being formed, for example, by deeply notching the periphery of generally annular body 32. It is preferable, but not necessary, to incline the outer faces of the thread-engaging elements 3I in the manner shown; i. e., with the leading edge disposed somewhat nearer the axis of rotation than the trailing edge. By virtue of this inclination the thread-engaging elements 3I wipe the bars 3 and 5 of the reel, severing the thread with a minimum of shock or wear on the bars of the reel.

In this form of the invention, the threadengaging elements 3| are formed integrally with the generally annular body 32, giving a stelliform configuration. The generally annular body 32 serves to position the thread-engaging elements concentrically while permitting yieldable inward movement thereof. Thus the generally annular body 32 thus performs a centering function similar to that performed. by the stelliform body 23 in the device of Figures 1 and 2. The generally annular body 32 and associated threadengaging elements 3| may be'molded or otherwise formed from hard rubber, soft rubber,

synthetic resinous compounds, etc.

The modifications described may be used with a continuous spinning machine of the type referred to, one transfer wheel being placed in contact with each spinning reel to effect the transfer of the thread from one reel to the next. The reels may be superposed, with one reel lying substantially below the preceding reel; they may he stepped, staggered, or horizontally aligned; or they may be disposed in any other suitable Way. The transfer wheel will effectively sever the Winding thread on the reel with which it is in contact and remove the same therefrom, causing it to contact with the next reel in the series. The transfer mechanismv may, of course, be used in any other installation wherein it is desired to transfer a wet thread from a rotating surface to another surface. Numerous changes may of course be made in the design of these devices without in any way departing from the spirit of the invention.

It is intended that the patent shall cover, by suitable expression in the appended claims, whatever features of patentable novelty reside in the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In thread processing apparatus including a rotatable thread-storage, thread-advancing device, rotary transfer means for removing thread from said device comprising an integrally formed series of generally radially extending threadengaging elements separated by notches and, associated therewith, a body of elastic material disposed centrally of said thread-engaging elements, the extremities of said thread-engaging elements being adapted to contact with the thread-bearing surfaces of said thread-storage, thread-advancing device.

2. Thread processing apparatus according to claim 1 in which said thread-engaging elements are integral with said body of elastic material.

3. Thread processing apparatus according to claim 1 in which said thread-engaging elements form part of an annular member carried by said body of elastic material.

4. In thread processing apparatus including a rotatable thread-storage, thread-advancing device made up of a plurality of longitudinally extending bar members, rotary transfer means for removing thread from said device comprising a body of molded material having a plurality of radially extending thread-engaging elements formed integrally with the body thereof, the portions of said elements adapted to contact with the thread-bearing surfaces of the bar members of said thread-storage, thread-advancing device having the leading edges thereof closer to the axis of rotation of said transfer means than the trailing edges thereof.

5. In thread processing apparatus including a rotatable thread-storage, thread-advancing device made up of a plurality of longitudinally extending bar members, rotary transfer means for removing thread from said device comprising a body of molded material having thread-engaging portions adapted to contact with the thread-bearing surfaces of the bar members of said thread-storage, thread-advancing device, said body being supported in a manner permitting movement of at least the threadengaging portions thereof in a direction transverse to its axis of rotation.

6. In thread processing apparatus including a rotatable thread-storage, thread-advancing device made up of a plurality of longitudinally extending bar members, rotary transfer means for removing thread from said. device comprising an annular body of molded material the periphery of which is notched to provide a series of generally radially extending thread-engaging elements the extremities of which are adapted to contact with the thread-bearing surfaces of the bar members of said thread-storage, threadadvancing device, said body being supported in a manner permitting movement of at least the thread-engaging portions thereof in a direction transverse to its axis of rotation.

'7. A rotatable thread transfer mechanism comprising a pair of opposed disk-like members mounted on a shaft and, disposed between said opposed disk-like members, an annular member the periphery of which is notched to provide thread-engaging means.

8. A rotatable thread transfer mechanism comprising a shaft, an annular member the periphery of which is notched to provide threadengaging means and, disposed between said annular member and said shaft, a body of resilient material yieldingly resisting transverse movement of said annular member.

9. A rotatable thread transfer mechanism comprising an annular member provided with peripherally disposed thread-engaging means and, contacting with the inner face of said annular member, a body of resilient material yieldably resisting transverse movement of said annular member.

10. A rotatable thread transfer mechanism comprising spaced disk-like members, an annular member disposed between said disk-like members provided with peripherally disposed thread-engaging elements, and a body of resilient material yieldably resisting transverse movement of said annular member.

11. A rotatable thread transfer mechanism comprising a shaft carrying spaced disk-like members; an annular member disposed between said disk-like members, said annular member having associated therewith a plurality of threadengaging means; and, disposed. between said annular member and said shaft, a body of resilient material for yieldably retaining said annular member in operative relation to said shaft.

12. A rotatable thread transfer mechanism comprising a plurality of circumferentially disposed thread-engaging elements the outer surface of each of which is inclined in such manner that the leading edge. thereof is closer to the axis of rotation of the mechanism than the trailing edge thereof.

WALTER F. KNEBUSCH. FOSTER F. HILLIX. 

